VietNamNet Bridge – The company has disclosed plans to import more iPhone 3GS before distributing the iPhone 4 in this September. Viettel is also considering purchasing more iPhone 3GS to serve Vietnamese customers.

VinaPhone has sold approximately 5,000 iPhone 3GS since importing them in March 2010. Demand for the hi-tech product is still high. The firm will import more iPhone 3GS into Vietnam while waiting for the iPhone 4.

Viettel has not decided to distribute the iPhone 4 although it has also sold over 10,000 iPhone 3GS. According to Viettel, Vietnamese consumers are now keen on iPhone 3GS because iPhone 4 don’t meet their expectations while being prohibitively expensive.

At present, an iPhone 4 is priced from 23.5 to 30.5 million dong ($1300-1800) depending on capacity (16 or 32 GB) compared to 14-20 million dong for an iPhone 3GS.

“Many people still want to buy iPhone 3GS so we may import more iPhone 3GS,” said an unnamed source from Viettel.

Vietnam discourages the import of mobile phones so it will take time for VinaPhone and Viettel to import more iPhone 3GS. According to the General Statistics Office, the two firms paid around $9 million to import 15,000 iPhones in March.

As the iPhone 3GS has become scarcer, the price has increased slightly.

PV